Tiananmen Square

Giant video display in Tiananmen Square.

Tiananmen Square is one of the largest public squares in the world. According to Nancy, over 300,000 people can be in the square at once. It’s bordered by the Forbidden City on the north, the Great Hall of the People on the west, the People’s Museum on the east, and a section of the old outer wall of the city on the south. Within the square is the National Flag, Chairman Mao Zedong’s tomb, and the Memorial to the People’s Heroes. A new monument has been added since we last visited the Square. It is composed of two enormous video displays that continuously play messages of unity among the Chinese people. There are 56 ethnic groups that make up the Chinese nation, each with their own unique culture. Surrounding the National Flag, which is just north of the video displays, there are 56 pillars each representing one of the ethnic groups.

Tiananmen Gate in background. Yes, it was hazy today.

Since we’d been here before I wasn’t really expecting anything unusual, but several things happened. First, as expected, we were besieged by souvenir hawkers who flocked to us like seagulls on a beach when you have a loaf of bread, and Jerri bought a couple of sets of small kites for the girls. When the girls took out the kites and started to fly them, we were “scolded” by a passerby who told our guide that there was no “playing” within the square and that we needed to put away the kites or risk a fine. The last time we were in Beijing there were lots of people flying kites in Tiananmen Square, go figure. So now I have pictures and video of my kids apparently breaking the law in downtown Beijing. And Jerri and I had both noticed how we’d been getting more stares than expected due to the mixed-race nature of our family. I didn’t seem to notice it as much on our previous trips, but I guess it was because the girls were much younger then. While we were near the video displays, one couple, who appeared to be perhaps in their 60’s, came over and started asking Nancy about us. When the gentleman heard we were from the United States he wanted to thank us (U.S. citizens) for all the help given the Chinese people following World War II, and both he and his wife thanked us for providing a loving home for Amanda and Allyson. It was very touching.